Press release: £12,159 penalty for unauthorised Leominster scrap metal facility

Following his guilty plea at Hereford Magistrates’ Court, Gillum (aged 75), was fined £3,340 and ordered to pay £8,669.54 in costs, along with a £150 victim surcharge.

The charge was brought by the Environment Agency under Regulations 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 and 2016, also sections 34(5) and 34(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Gillum traded as Leominster Scrap Metal, from a site off North Road, Leominster between August 2015 and September 2017.

Following a report from a member of the public, Environment Agency officers investigated claims of an illegal scrap metal facility in operation. Officers found piles of miscellaneous scrap metal around the Site. They could see the ground contaminated with oil and found scrap motor vehicles, gas cylinders, wheels, batteries and metal sheeting. Burning of waste had also taken place.

Mr Gillum was advised that he needed an Environmental Permit or an exemption, to carry out the activities at the site. A few months later, an exemption was registered, however on a visit to the site in November 2015, Environment Agency officers noted that conditions of the exemption were not being met. The exemption was de-registered in April and following further illegal activity at the site, an enforcement notice was served in July 2016 requiring Gillum to remove all waste from the site. This Notice was not complied with.

Environment Agency Officers required that Gillum provided waste transfer notes relating to his business. Another enforcement notice was issued, but Gillum failed to provide the required documents. Gillum was interviewed under caution in November 2016, where he confirmed that he was a registered waste carrier and admitted that he had operated the scrap metal business for a few years.

Speaking after the case, an Environment Agency officer in charge of the investigation said:

This case demonstrates that we are willing to take tough action on illegal operations such as Leominster Scrap Metal. Our investigations started with a tip-off from a member of the public, and has resulted in a successful prosecution.

In mitigation, the court took into account that Gillum has traded for 25 years and has suffered some ill health. Gillum apologised for not “moving with the times” or appreciating the consequences of his actions. He said that he was not aware of the sensitive receptors around his site, but had spent £15,000 to put in the necessary infrastructure.

If you see or suspect illegal waste activities, report it anonymously to Crimestoppers: www.crimestoppers-uk.org or call 0800 555 111 or via the Environment Agency Incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.